In 1963, Disney released the hit movie “The Sword and the Stone” to theaters. The movie features young Arthur and ancient Merlin, who go on fun adventures to learn about kindness and leadership before Arthur draws forth the sword from the stone and becomes king of England.
It’s fun. It’s whimsical. It’s a classic feel-good story.
And it’s nothing like the original text.The Once and Future King, written by T.H. White in 1939, is the original text I’m speaking of. This 677 page book delves into the darkest corners of King Arthur and his knights. There are no talking animals, but there are vengeful siblings, dark magic, and deep betrayals. And while it is much darker than the Disney-fied version of King Arthur’s legend, I believe that the book is one of the most important texts a person can read. White’s masterpiece, which compiles three separate books that detail the life of the legendary King Arthur, introduces magical adventures, familial and romantic love, and even themes of responsibility and fate. But put all of that aside, because The Once and Future King is much more than a thematic tome. The main reason The Once and Future King is such an essential read is because it provokes reflection. The worst thing a reader can do is read a book, put it down, and never think about it again. The purpose of literature is to inspire deep thoughts about yourself and society as a whole, and The Once and Future King does just that.
If you can’t already tell, this is one of my favorite books of all time. Strap in, because I have a lot to say!
Once upon a time, a young boy called “Wart” was tutored by a magician named Merlyn in preparation for a future he couldn’t possibly imagine. A future in which he would ally himself with the greatest knights, love a legendary queen and unite a country dedicated to chivalrous values. A future that would see him crowned and known for all time as Arthur, King of the Britons.
During Arthur’s reign, the kingdom of Camelot was founded to cast enlightenment on the Dark Ages, while the knights of the Round Table embarked on many a noble quest. But Merlyn foresaw the treachery that awaited his liege: the forbidden love between Queen Guenever and Lancelot, the wicked plots of Arthur’s half-sister Morgause and the hatred she fostered in Mordred that would bring an end to the king’s dreams for Britain—and to the king himself.
World, Character, and Plot
One of the first lessons students learn is the difference between right and wrong. Even as early as elementary school, we are given stories that have a distinct protagonist and a distinct antagonist. We are taught to love the hero, and despise the villain. As we grow and develop our understanding of the world, the stories we read grow and develop with us. Mary Pope Osborn’s Magic Tree House turns to Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web turns to Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Disney’s “The Sword and the Stone” turns to T.H. White’s The Once and Future King. And the heroes and villains in these stories do not remain black and white. They enter a shade of grey. In The Once and Future King, King Arthur is not the perfect, outstanding character many believe him to be. He commits incest with his half-sister, enjoys battles, and allows his wife and friends’ crimes to go unpunished in the face of his love for them. Yet, despite all this, he is one of my favorite protagonists of all time. His flaws made me love him more. Why? Because Arthur always tried. No matter how many mistakes he made, he always tried to do the right thing.
T.H. White wrote real people. In preliminary English classes, we met characters that fit like puzzle pieces into “archetypes.” There was always the hero, the betrayer, the villain, the wise mentor… If only life (and people) were so easy to classify! As White writes, characters like Arthur, Guenever, and Lancelot cannot “be fitted away safely under some label” (497). They can be loving and jealous and loyal and vengeful, all at the same time. Every book, short story, and poem a literature student picks up is written by real people who have equally ambivalent traits. The Once and Future King is a great study on the true nature of humans, which is part of why it is such a masterful piece of literature.
More often than not, information is fed to us like baby food. We’re expected to believe what we’re told without questioning the validity of the facts. The Once and Future King encourages readers to do the opposite; it leaves you with questions. As Merlyn tells Arthur, “Tell you!… And what is going to happen when there is nobody to tell you? Are you never going to think for yourself?” T.H. White’s writing gives readers the chance to think for ourselves. We are faced with right versus wrong, fate versus free will, among other hot topics. Instead of giving a side readers must believe, The Once and Future King allows the reader to choose what they believe based on the information. Did Arthur have control over his ultimate fate? That’s up to you. The book ends on a cliffhanger of sorts, where Arthur steps out of his war tent and meets the dawn with peace in his heart. We aren’t told if he wins the battle, who supported him in the end, or even if Arthur survives. All we know is that he meets his fate (whatever it is) with peace in his heart. The rest is left for the reader to decide.
PAGED IN: I love this book. But readers beware, because it definitely has some questionable things! The Once and Future King boasts some significant violence, mild language, and sexual innuendo. Also, due to the time period that it was written, it also includes a few outdated comments and assumptions.
Conclusion
Since I entered my first English class, I have read lots and lots of books. Many are considered classics, and most are deemed necessary for a well-rounded literature education. But, as much as I love Mr. Darcy, and as many times as I could analyze Julius Caesar, I have never learned as much as I did the day I opened The Once and Future King. The book is rich with adventure, love, sacrifice, and the many shades of gray that exist within literature of all kinds.
You can buy The Once and Future King here.
Marie